EXACTLY How To Go From Singapore To Desaru Coast: By Ferry, Bus And More! [2020]

Looking for a fun day trip or longer stay by nice beaches close to Singapore or Johor Bahru? The Desaru Coast could be just what you are looking for!

The Desaru Coast is a 22 kilometre stretch of beautiful coastline at the southern end of the east coast of Malaysia facing the South China Sea. Recently, many top resorts have opened here including the Westin, Lotus Desaru Beach Resort and the Hard Rock Hotel. In addition to fabulous beaches, there is also a golf course, a huge water park and many other attractions and activities for tourists.

Despite the big name resorts and great beaches and attractions, the Desaru coast area is still relatively low key and has an untouched feel.

The best part is that getting to Desaru from Singapore is easy and relatively fast – you should be there in less than two hours making this a perfect weekend trip, day trip or longer stay when you want some beach time, some different attractions or just want to stay in a great resort for cheaper than you’ll find in Singapore.

Although travel from Singapore to Desaru is relatively fast and easy, working out how can be tricky. As Desaru is an up and coming destination, there is not so much information about it online. To fix this, below I have detailed exactly how to travel to Desaru from Singapore and given you all four options so you can pick the one that best fits your needs and budget.

This means whether you prefer to take the Singapore to Desaru ferry, a bus from Singapore to Desaru, you want a 1 day Desaru tour from Singapore or you’d simply like to drive to Desaru from Singapore or take a taxi, full details are below!

If you aren’t sure what you’d prefer then I’ll help you chose how to get to Desaru Malaysia from Singapore below as well!

How To Go From Singapore To Desaru Coast, Malaysia

TOP TIP The quickest and easiest way to go between Singapore and Desaru Coast is by private car or taxi. For a more cost effective option, my recommendation is to take the direct bus. More details on all options below!

The fastest driving route is pictured below. This also shows you where the Desaru Coast is located in relation to Singapore.

What Is The Distance From Singapore To Desaru?

By road, going to Desaru from Singapore is about 100 kilometres. It takes just under two hours to drive but this does depend on where you are coming from in Singapore and how busy the border area is.

It’s also possible to take a ferry from Singapore to Desaru which is less distance and usually faster than other forms of public transport. More below!

Option 1: Taking The Ferry From Singapore To Desaru

The Desaru to Singapore ferry is one of the fastest way to get between the two locations on public transport.

The Desaru ferry to Singapore leaves from Changi Ferry Terminal and takes about 40 minutes to get to Tanjung Belungor Ferry Terminal near Desaru.

The biggest downside of the ferry is that you need to get to the ferry terminal in Singapore and then you still need to get to the Desaru Coast on arrival which is about a 30 minute drive away. You will need to take a taxi for this and can expect it to cost RM30-60.

Total Cost + Time* Time – 2.5 hours Cost – S$43.50

*This depends where you are coming from in Singapore. This assumes a 60 minute bus/train ride at a cost of S$1.50. You should also arrive at the terminal 15 minutes early which is included. The cost is an estimate as taxi costs vary. It is for one person.

Note: There is currently no car ferry from Singapore to Desaru.

Option 2: Taking The Singapore To Desaru Bus

There are several options for travelling from Singapore to Desaru by coach.

For cost savings, it’s possible to take a longer but cheaper Singapore Desaru bus option. This involves catching three buses – one from Singapore to Larkin Bus Terminal then a second bus to Bandar Penawar via Kota Tinggit and finally a minibus to Desaru Coast. I don’t recommend this due to how long it can take, but it is possible.

For the first bus, take any bus to Larkin across the freeway. You can find Causeway Link bus details here. A bus from Queen Street Bus Mall costs S$3.50 and takes about 1.5 hours but the time varies depending on the time of day and whether it’s a peak time or not so it could take a lot longer.

For the second bus, you take a Mara Liner to Bandar Penawar. This only runs a few times a day and currently costs S$3.16. It takes about 1.5 hours. Latest timetables and prices are here.

Finally, you can take a minibus on to the Desaru Coast resort area for RM1. It runs every 30 minutes and takes about 15 minutes.

Total Cost + Time* Time – 3.5 hours+ Cost – S$7

*The time taken will probably be much longer – I have only included minimal wait times and assumed that the bus across the border is fast. Realistically, it will take longer especially if you don’t arrive at Larkin at a good time to catch one of the limited onwards buses.

Option 3: Taking A Desaru Tour From Singapore

If you are after a Singapore to Desaru package or a day trip to Desaru from Singapore, I recommend you book the direct coach bus recommended above which you can find here.

Option 4: Transport From Singapore To Desaru By Car/Taxi

The quickest and easiest option is to drive in your own car or to get a taxi between the two places. If you have your own car, this can be economical. In a taxi, it’s going to be the most expensive option.

The Singapore to Desaru drive is pictured above in the map. It takes only about 1.75 hours if you are lucky with the border crossing time and depends where you are coming from in Singapore.

To book a taxi/private transfer, your resort is a good starting point. The Hard Rock Hotel Desaru currently charges S$150 for this. There are also private companies where you can book this. We have been happy with SGMYTaxi.

Total Cost + Time* Time – 1.75 hours Cost – S$150

* The cost will be a lot lower if you take your own car.

Travelling From Desaru To Singapore

For the reverse journey from Desaru to Singapore, all the above methods are still valid. You just need to reverse the instructions. The only cost difference is the causeway bus from Larkin to Singapore which is cheaper.

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Sharon is an Australian who has fallen in love with Malaysia! She explores Malaysia multiple times a year, often with her kids, and has previously lived in Penang.

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We’re a family of five that loves exploring Malaysia. We share this love with you here with all the best places to visit, stay and everything else you need to know for great times in Malaysia!Read more.